Abstract
Recent research into the acoustics of infant-directed speech (IDS) in English and Korean suggests that voice-onset time (normalized for varying speech rate) in word-initial aspirated stops are shorter than in adult-directed speech. The present study reports results from experiments conducted to explore the source of this VOT variation in IDS. Female English speakers (n = 10) and female Korean speakers (n = 10) recorded sentences with words varying in laryngeal condition (English: voiced/voiceless; Korean: plain, tense, aspirated) at three different pitches (low, normal, and falsetto). Results suggest that as speakers’ pitch increases, the duration of VOT in aspirated stops decreases. Voiced stops (in English) and plain and tense stops) in Korean showed no difference in VOT across varying pitch conditions. Regression models suggest that VOT becomes less predictive of laryngeal state as speaker pitch increases. Results are discussed in terms of the physiological explanation of the pitch-VOT effect as well as the implications for the development of sound systems in infants.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.